Disposable combination beverage and cup dispenser



July 18, 1967 E. KRUGGER 3,331,533

DISPOSABLE COMBINATION BEVERAGE AND CUP DISPENSER Filed June 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J i f) O INVENTOR. RICHARD E. KRUGGER WMQ ZQLQJE' ATTOR N EYS July 18, 1967 R E. KRUGGER 3,331,533

DISPOSABLE COMBINATION BEVERAGE AND CUP DISPENSER Filed June 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

INVENTOR. RICHARD E. KRUGGER 777 M, am 7- AT TOR N EYS United States Patent 3,331,533 DISPOSABLE COMBINATION BEVERAGE AND CUP DISPENSER Richard E. Krugger, West Bridgewater, Mass., assignor to Thermoplastic Industries, Inc., Brockton, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed June 15, 1965, Ser. No. 464,099 2 Claims. (Cl. 22196) This invention relates generally to disposable bulk containers for liquid refreshments and the like and more particularly, is directed towards a disposable beverage dispenser in combination with a self-contained cup dispenser.

There are presently on the market various types of disposable bulk containers. One of the most recent developments in this field is a disposable bulk container comprising a flexible plastic film bag packaged in a corrugated cardboard carton. The bag is provided with a suitable spout which, when in use, is projected through an opening in the carton. Thus, the beverage contained in the bag may be drawn off as required and, when the bag is empty, the entire unit may be discarded. Such bag and box type containers may be made up in various sizes ranging from a few quarts to several gallons capacity, for example.

The disposable type of liquid container is particularly suited for home use to package milk and similar beverages. The carton is easily stored in a refrigerator and the milk or other liquid may be drawn off directly without removing the carton.

The present invention is directed towards improvements in this type of dispenser and has for one of its objects the provision of a disposable combination bulk liquid container and cup dispenser.

Another object of this invention is to provide a combination bulk liquid storage container and cup dispenser in which a single disposable carton serves as a package for a bag adapted to hold a quantity of liquid and a dispenser for a number of stacked cups.

More particularly this invention features a disposable combination beverage and cup dispenser comprising a carton, a flexible imperforate bag disposed in the carton, valving means mounted to the bag and adapted to extend through one wall of the carton for dispensing liquid contained within the bag and walls defining a cup storage chamber within the carton. The carton is formed with an opening through an outer wall thereof in communication with the chamber whereby cups stored within the chamber may be Withdrawn therefrom.

However, these and other features of the invention, along with further objects and advantages thereof, will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a disposable combination bulk liquid container and cup dispenser made according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation thereof,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view in side elevation,

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view thereof,

FIG. 5 is a view in front elevation of the unit with the front end open to show details of construction,

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view, and,

FIG. 7 is a sectional side view of the nozzle.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character 10 generally indicates a disposable combination bulk liquid container and cup dispenser generally organized about a carton 12 typically of corrugated cardboard having front and rear walls 14 and 16, side walls 18 and 20 3,331,533 Patented July 18, 1967 and top and bottom walls 22 and 24. Disposed within the carton 12 is a bag 26, of a suitable liquid-proof material such as polyethylene or the like, adapted to contain a beverage such as milk, for example.

The bag 26 is provided with nozzle means in the form of a valved nozzle 28 projecting through an opening 30 formed through the lower right hand side of the front wall 14. In practice, the nozzle 28 may be located within the carton during shipping and the opening 38 may be covered by a punch out section which may be removed when the dispenser is to be put to use. It will be understood that the nozzle 28 is then manually withdrawn to a certain extent so that the outer end thereof projects from the front of the wall 14 as best shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.

As shown in FIG. 7, the nozzle 28 preferably is a molded plastic article formed with a flanged base 32 which may be attached to the bag 26 by heat sealing or the like with a tubular body portion 34 extending out from the base 32 and formed with a right angular spout portion 36 having an internal passageway 38 in communication with a valving section 40. Preferably both the bag and the nozzle are formed of a heat sealable material so that the two may be conveniently bonded to one another by well-known heat-sealing techniques. The bag, of course, is formed with an opening in registry with the nozzle opening and the flange of the nozzle is bonded to the bag about the bag opening whereby the contents of the bag may be drained. The outer end of the nozzle is provided with a conical portion 42 in which is seated a resilient member 44 which engages the outer end of a stem 46. The stem 46 passes through a wall 48 and supports at its inner end a valve disc 50 adapted to seat against a valve seat 52 forming part of the valve body. It will be understood that the resilient member 44 serves to hold the valve disc 50 normally seated in a closed position whereby depression of the resilient member 44 by the thumb, for example, serves to unseat the valve disc to permit the liquid to discharge through the spout 36.

In the forward left-hand corner, as viewed in FIG. 4, of the carton 12 there is formed a self-contained dispenser for cups 54 stacked vertically within the carton. The cup dispenser is formed by a single section of corrugated paperboard, for example, folded to define upright walls 56, 58 and 69 along with a rearwardly extending marginal section 62 which is bonded to the inner face of the side wall 18. The walls 56 through 60 define with the forward portion of the carton wall 18 a rectangular enclosure 64 extending vertically within the carton when set in an upright position as in FIG. 1 and adapted to accommodate a nested stack of cups 54 of paper, plastic or the like.

In order to better position the wall 58 with respect to the carton, hinged panels 66 and 68 located at the top and bottom respectively of the wall 58 are bonded to the inner faces of the top and bottom walls 22 and 24 of the carton. There is no need to bond the wall 60 of the cup dispenser insofar as this will be positioned by the front wall of the carton when it is closed. Also by leaving the wall 60 hinged to the wall 58, the dispenser may be readily loaded from the front by merely placing the stack within the space 64 and then folding over the wall 60. In the bottom wall 24 of the carton directly below the chamber 64 there is formed a circular opening 70 through which the cups may be withdrawn one by one. As a simple means of restraining the cups within the dispenser and to permit each cup to be withdrawn one by one the opening 70 is formed with inwardly projecting segments 72 about the margin of the opening. It will be understood that these projections serve to restrict the opening 70 by an amount sufiicient to frictionally engage the cups but insofar as they are formed from the corrugated cardboard forming the carton, they are sufiiciently resilient to permit them to release each cup as it is manually grasped and withdrawn from the dispenser. In practice, and as best shown in FIG. 3, the projections 72 are curled downwardly to further facilitate easy removal of the cups while at the same time preventing the entire stack from dropping out accidentally.

It will be appreciated that the unit described herein provides a number of advantages in that various types of liquids may be stored, shipped and dispensed at any location and drinking cups will at all times be immediately available. A carton may be set on a table with the front end overhanging the front edge of the table as suggested in FIG. 1 or the unit may be placed in a refrigerator and cups removed and the beverage dispensed as desired. The unit is particularly useful for campers, picnickers, parties and the like where a relatively large amount of beverage is required and yet must be easily portable and low in cost. The natural insulating qualities of the corrugated carton serve to insulate the beverage contained in the bag for an extended period. The insulated properties might be further enhanced by the addition of a ply of aluminum foil, for example, lining the walls of the carton or other suitable insulating medium. A number of different beverages may be contained in the bag and once the contents are exhausted, the entire unit by reason of its low-cost may be discarded.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to the illustrated embodiment, it will be understood that numerous modifications'thereto will appear to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description and accompanying drawings should be taken as illustrative of the invention and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A disposable combination bulk liquid container and cup dispenser, comprising (a) a portable carton having top, bottom, side and end Walls,

(b) an inner wall mounted within said carton at one end thereof,

(c) said inner wall together with portions of said carton Walls defining a tubular enclosure located within said carton at one end thereof and extending vertically between said top and bottom walls when said carton is in an upright position,

((1) said tubular enclosure adapted to support a stack of cups mounted therein,

(c) said carton being formed with an opening through said bottom wall in communication with said enclosure and along the axis of said enclosure,

(f) restriction means disposed about said opening normally restraining said stack in said enclosure but permitting said cups to be manually withdrawn individually from said stack,

g) a liquid impervious flexible bag disposed within said carton and adapted to contain a quantity of liquid,

(h) said bag generally conforming in size and shape to that portion of the interior of said carton not occupied by said enclosure,

(i) a valve mounted to said bag and adapted to project through an end wall of said carton for draining the contents of said bag,

(j) said valve being located at the same end of said carton as said enclosure and adjacent said bottom wall in close proximity to said enclosure.

2. A disposable combination bulk liquid container and cup dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the marginal edges of said opening are formed with a plurality of inwardly projecting segments.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 798,386 8/1905 Baker 251-321 2,082,706 6/1937 Maggiora 251321 2,083,156 6/1937 McCabe 251321 2,323,841 7/1943 Pape et a1. 221-310 2,591,507 4/1952 Brous 22196 3,087,655 4/1963 Scholle 221-183 3,142,415 7/1964 Louchheim 22196 3,198,389 8/1965 Dunning 22196 FOREIGN PATENTS 502,624 3/ 1939 Great Britain.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

WALTER SOBIN, Examiner. 

1. A DISPOSABLE COMBINATION BULK LIQUID CONTAINER AND CUP DISPENSER, COMPRISING (A) A PORTABLE CARTON HAVING TOP, BOTTOM, SIDE AND END WALLS, (B) AN INNER WALL MOUNTED WITHIN SAID CARTON AT ONE END THEREOF, (C) SAID INNER WALL TOGETHER WITH PORTIONS OF SAID CARTON WALLS DEFINING A TUBULAR ENCLOSURE LOCATED WITHIN SAID CARTON AT ONE END THEREOF AND EXTENDING VERTICALLY BETWEEN SAID TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS WHEN SAID CARTON IS IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION, (D) SAID TUBULAR ENCLOSURE ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A STACK OF CUPS MOUNTED THEREIN, (E) SAID CARTON BEING FORMED WITH AN OPENING THROUGH SAID BOTTOM WALL IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID ENCLOSURE AND ALONG THE AXIS OF SAID ENCLOSURE, (F) RESTRICTION MEANS DISPOSED ABOUT SAID OPENING NORMALLY RESTRAINING SAID STACK IN SAID ENCLOSURE BUT 